King's Meadow is a park in

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Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

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, located next to the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

. It stretches from the Coal Woodland (so-called because it used to be the site of a coal heap ) to King's Meadow Road near Reading Bridge. The

Thames Path The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from one of its sources near Kemble, Gloucestershire, Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel, south east London. It is about long. A path was first proposed in 1948 ...

long distance footpath runs through the length of King's Meadow, which is visible from the railway when entering or leaving

Reading railway station Reading railway station is a major transport hub in the town of Reading, Berkshire, Reading in Berkshire, England, it is west of . It is sited on the northern edge of the town centre, near to the main retail and commercial areas and the River ...

from the eastern side. King's Meadow forms part of a series of riverside open spaces, managed by

Reading Borough Council Reading Borough Council is the local authority for Reading in the county of Berkshire, England. Reading has had a council since at least 1542, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1998, the council has been a unitary authority, be ...

, that stretch along one or other side of the River Thames throughout its passage through Reading. From west to east these are Thameside Promenade,

Caversham Court Caversham Court is a public garden and was a mansion located on the north bank of the River Thames in Caversham, a suburb of Reading in the English county of Berkshire (formerly in Oxfordshire). The park lies within the St Peter's conservation ...

, Christchurch Meadows, Hills Meadow,

View Island View Island is a small island near Caversham Lock, on the River Thames at Reading, Berkshire in England.Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, ...

and became owned by the King after the dissolution of the monasteries. In 1869 the town of Reading purchased of the meadow as a recreation ground. This area has long been used as the site of a variety of public events such as Reading market, a race course, Reading shows and fairs. It is also the location of the once disused King's Meadow swimming pool, which was built there in 1903. The future of the building was a subject of local controversy until 2015 when Reading Borough Council approved a renovation project to turn it into the Thames Lido. The restoration was completed in 2017; as well as reopening the pool, there is a restaurant, small spa and private dining facilities..

Features

The park's landscape is open fields of short grass right up to the river bank, with some perimeter trees and an avenue from Napier Road. It is a popular picnic site with groups of mature trees. The park is prone to flooding, but there are playing fields used by the public and football clubs throughout the year. There is a pleasant walk along the towpath up to Reading Bridge and

Caversham Lock Caversham Lock is a lock and main weir on the River Thames in England at Reading, Berkshire. Both the lock and main weir are connected to De Bohun Island (colloquially known as Lock Island). The Thames Navigation Commissioners built the ori ...

is at the eastern end. It is also a popular spot for mooring and fishing. To the east of the park is a large

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supermarket.

Events

It is the location of several annual events in Reading, such as Reading Pride LGBTA festival and the annual Reading Beer Festival.

References

External links

Page on Kings Meadow and the Coal Woodland from Reading Borough Council
Parks and open spaces in Reading, Berkshire Water-meadows Meadows in Berkshire {{Berkshire-geo-stub